


Wailing

by Lone_Wolf_Fanfics



Series: Supernatural/Marvel Crossovers [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Supernatural, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Banshee Powers, Banshees, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2019-09-05 19:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16816642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lone_Wolf_Fanfics/pseuds/Lone_Wolf_Fanfics
Summary: Ryan is the unofficial Winchester sister to both Sam and Dean. Born a banshee she has struggled for years to control and predict her powers.Now as the trio take some time to rest in New York, Ryan's banshee powers draw her towards an attempted murder that lands her right in the path of the Avengers and unknowingly her biological father.





	1. Ryan 'Winchester'

Birth Name: Ryan Bowes-Barton

Used Name/Adoptive Name: Ryan Winchester

Nickname: Rye (Most) Strawberry (Tony)

DOB: December 25th

Age: 22

Species: Benevolent Banshee (There are two types, good and bad, Benevolent and Malevolent)

Appearance:

Height: 5 ft 3

Hair Colour: She has naturally “Strawberry Blonde” hair.

Eye Colour: Green

Cast: Holland Roden

Family:

Clint Barton (Biological Father)

Cooper Barton (Paternal Half-brother)

Lila Barton (Paternal Half-sister)

Nathaniel Barton (Paternal Half-brother)

Poppy Bowes (Biological Mother) † - Benevolent

Unnamed Banshee (Maternal Aunt – Season 11) – Malevolent

Dean Winchester (Surrogate brother)

Sam Winchester (Surrogate brother)

Personality:

“Academically, Ryan is one of the finest students I've ever had. Her AP classes push her GPA above a 5.0. I'd actually like to have her IQ tested. And socially, she displays outstanding leadership qualities. I mean, she's a real leader”

Ryan is kind, loyal, extremely intelligent (and unafraid to show it), and determined to help people however she can.

Her high-level intellect pushed Ryan to read in-depth and complicated textbooks and journals on a variety of academic subjects, and she is especially gifted with regards to the sciences and languages. She has taught herself to speak both Classical and Archaic Latin, a skill that she uses in hunting, and she has been shown to speak Spanish and French at conversational levels. She also has a high level of intelligence in physics.

Ryan has made it her mission to do good whenever she can.

Over time, however, the losses, injuries, and stress she has endured have matured her beyond her years and has made her begin to repress the pain and trauma, keeping it to herself rather than seeking support. Ryan experiences hallucinations and nightmares and she is still regularly traumatized by the death she has witnessed and the corpses to which she has been drawn.

Physical Appearance:

Ryan is a beautiful, thin and petite woman with very pale skin, green eyes, and long strawberry-blonde hair. When not hunting her style leans toward the very feminine, and she is nearly always seen wearing dresses or pencil skirts with dressy blouses and high heels or booties.

When hunting she wears shorts and jeans more often than dresses and skirts due to the fact that they're more practical, given that she may need to fight at any moment; despite this fact, she still prefers to wear boots rather than sneakers. She typically wears her hair at least partially pulled away from her face and has a tendency to braid it up in a milkmaid style. She likes to keep her eye make up to a minimum in favour of wearing bold coloured lipstick, and occasionally wears thin chain necklaces or simple rings to accessories.

Banshee:

Banshees can hear voices in their heads. Often this leads them, subconsciously, to murder scenes. They sometimes write or draw messages from the voices subconsciously.

As a Banshee, Ryan has a wide range of supernatural powers that can be used for various effects. Ryan also has many human abilities and skills that benefit her life in the supernatural world.

Powers:

Harbinger of Death Sense: Ryan can feel when someone has died and can predict when someone is close to death. This is usually accompanied by a trance-like state that draws her to those who are dead or near-death, though, with practice, she has gotten better at being aware of what she's doing when this happens.

Clairaudience: The ears of a banshee are naturally tuned to levels of the universe that only they can hear. This gives them an ability to discern details of a person's death (or impending death) through the sounds they can perceive which no one else can.

Premonitions: As a Banshee and Harbinger of Death, Ryan has the power to experience premonitions that allow her to sense a person's death, which usually allows her to discern how a person dies, where they die, and/or what will cause the death in the first place. This power is most often used as an extension of her power of clairaudience, as the supernatural phenomena that she can sense with her enhanced hearing can take the form of auditory premonitions of a supernatural-related death;

Telekinesis – A banshee is able to move objects through the air with their minds.

Psychometry: Ryan is able to discern information about a person's death by making physical contact with an object belonging to the person in question.

Automatic Writing: Ryan is able to gain information by going into a trance-like state and writing or typing.

Banshee Scream: Ryan has a powerful voice that can be used to produce various effects based on what is needed at the time. This wail can be used consciously or unconsciously.

Death Announcement: Ryan's wail is most often used as a warning of someone's impending death, or as a signal that someone has just died; it is most often used by Ryan after she has found a dead body while in a fugue state.

Premonition Enhancement: Ryan's scream can also be used to clear ambient noises from her auditory channels so that she can focus her attention on the specific sounds that she needs to hear as part of an auditory premonition.

Concussive Scream: Ryan's wail can be used in an active or offensive manner as well; when a wail is given focus and direction, it can shatter bulletproof glass, overload electronics, burst eardrums, and create concussive blasts that can throw a full-grown man across a room. Some may say if Ryan learned how to fully master her powers she would be able to use her powers without screaming.

Supernatural Sensitivity: Ryan has been described as someone who can sense and seek out the supernatural, and has demonstrated a highly-enhanced intuition regarding the supernatural even before her Banshee powers were activated.

Abilities:

Genius-Level Intelligence: Ryan has an IQ of 190, which is well above genius level. Between how quickly she can learn new skills and her craving for knowledge, Ryan possesses a dearth of knowledge on a wide range of topics including mathematics, chemistry, physics, medicine, psychology, history, mythology, and foreign languages, which has helped the Winchesters on numerous occasions.

Multilingualism: Ryan has shown she is fluent in Latin (both Archaic and Classical), Spanish, and French in at least a conversational capacity.

Skilled Artist: Ryan is known for being very artistically talented.

Expert Hunting Skills - Trained by Sam and Dean from early childhood, Ryan possesses excellent combat and hunting abilities.

Expert Hand-to-Hand combat - Ryan is adept with martial arts, and knife fighting as well.

Marksmanship - Ryan is well-versed with multiple types of firearms and is an expert marksman, she seldom misses his intended target and can efficiently put down anything vulnerable to bullets.

Master knife wielder/Knife-thrower: Ryan is highly skilled with knives.

Supernatural Lore - Ryan possesses extensive knowledge of supernatural mythology.

  
  


Pairing: Steve Rogers


	2. Chapter One

The Impala is perfect for sleeping two people, one person sleeping comfortably across each bench, but what happens when there are three people that require to sleep in the car?? Well in the case of the Winchester it is the thing of arguments. Sam and Dean are not the smallest of men to begin with, so throw in the adoptive younger sister, Ryan, and all things get a little heated. Most of the time two will nap whilst the third drives, at least till they get to a motel. But sometimes they are just so tired they have to pull over and sleep, and the arguments start. No matter the fact they've been doing this for years now, it always ends in a fight, which then always ends with Ryan sleeping on Dean's chest, or Sam's chest, depending on which brother is in the better mood. Luckily this time Dean and Sam are awake, and Ryan gets to sleep in the back all by herself, stretched out and everything. This is why she loves that they have the bunker now. Her own room, her own space. Dean shifts in his seat, driving, his fingers tapping slightly on the wheel.

“We should stop off in the city” Dean comments glancing to Sam who tiredly lifts his head towards him. “Spend a few days R and R” Sam raises an eyebrow. “Maybe check out the Avengers Facility” Sam smirks a little knowing that that is the only reason Dean really wants to stay in the city. He's been trying to get them to visit the facility since it opened to visitors a few years back.

“I don't know, it's been a long few days” Sam comments looking back at Ryan, he reaches back and brushes her hair back. “Rye's exhausted”

“Yeah, when Sonny called I didn't think it would that bad for her” Dean mumbles.

“To be fair every hunt is gonna be bad for her” Sam corrects. “I know we try and keep her away from the really bad stuff but when she is born to run towards it...”

“Yeah” Dean breaths in agreement. How do you keep a banshee from following their instincts? You can't. They've tried. To keep Ryan away from the dark, twisted, bloody monsters in the world. To protect her. But she can't control her power that draws her to death and the dying. She's seen more bodies then the best homicide detective and she's not even 30 yet.

…........

Dean hammers on the back window of the Impala jerking Ryan awake from her peaceful slumber, he smirks a little as she glares at him, he chuckles. Dean opens the back door for her and she shuffles out to look around.

“Where are we?” Ryan asks rubbing at her eyes.

“New York City” Dean wraps his arm around her shoulders. “Good grub, decent nights sleep, superheroes” she smirks looking up at him.

“You say that like we're actually going to see one” she comments leaning against him, Dean mockingly laughs and pokes her side. She chuckles tiredly, she yawns pressing her hand to her mouth. She hums a little looking around the motel they'd chosen. Her eyes look to the marking in the parking lot something drawing her to them. And for a second the painted marking on the road look like a star. She blinks a little and they've gone back to normal. Dean notices her expression, his hand touching her shoulder, carefully, cautiously.

“You okay?” Dean asks.

“Yeah” she whispers. “I don't know...I think the City is...resonating a little” she answers.

“You got a flash?” he asks, she nods.

“But it's a big city, with a lot of people” he nods in agreement.

“If anything else happens” he starts, she rolls her eyes, she knows the drill.

“Don't worry, I'll tell you” she assures him. “Or Sam” she adds as the younger of the two walks back towards them.

“Here” Sam hands Dean a motel room key. “I'll bunk with Rye tonight”

“Come on, guys, can't I have my own room now?” she asks.

“No” Dean answers.

“Why?” she asks turning to him.

“Because you have a habit of wandering off in the middle of the night and finding dead people” Dean comments, Ryan nods a little taking the motel key from Sam and walking away. Sam shoots Dean a look. “I'm too tired to argue right now, I'll apologize in the morning” Dean comments walking towards his own room as Ryan disappears into hers and Sam.


	3. Chapter Two

Ryan pulls off her jacket as Sam closes the motel room door behind her. He watches the angry line of her shoulders, upset more than angry. Dean doesn't think when he makes Banshee comments, but Ryan is good at covering her upset now, she just mopes around a bit and then gets over it. She pulls out her hair and lets the strawberry blonde locks shake loose, she's in need of a shower and something to eat. And right on cue, her stomach growls, Sam chuckles a little as she hangs her head.

“You can take the first shower” Sam offers. “I'll grab some food, usual?” he asks, she nods.

“Thanks” she offers.

“It's cause he's worried about you,” Sam tells her and they both know he's talking about Dean. “Wandering off, in that weird...coma state, on a hunt....” she nods.

“I know....who knows what I'm walking into. Scares me too” she admits. “How long...how long till I walk in on a vamp or a demon and they....” she sighs. “I know, okay?” Sam strokes the side of her head and then kisses her forehead. “I worry about it too” she whispers.

“We don't tell you enough” he whispers. “But you are our sister” he assures her warmly. “We just don't want anything bad to happen to you” she nods and then heads into the bathroom closing the door behind her. He smiles a little and turns to head back out of the room.

….............

Ryan pulls her hair over her shoulder as the water runs through it, shampoo suds running down her back. Closing her eyes she moves her head slightly to let the water hit her face, washing away the last few days. Frowning Ryan strokes her fingers over her arm, something is off, her eyes open and her breath catches. She slowly turns to look at her arm. Only to find it completely encased in metal. This is more than a resonation. She's working up to an episode. Clues. Clues to what will happen. She draws her fingers along her arm, tracing the grooves in the metal. It's a surreal feeling, almost like an out-of-body experience. She struggles with reality and what's in her mind. Like right now, if Sam was to look at her arm, nothing would seem out of the ordinary, but Ryan, Ryan will swear hands down that she has a metal arm. Because she can feel it and her mind is telling her that it's real. Ryan takes a few deep breaths and then goes back to showering, ignoring the arm, for now, she'll freak out later.

…...

Ryan eats in silence, Sam and Dean casting her worried looks, both know that she always suffers after hunts, takes her a while to work it out of her system. She won't ever get over the things she's seen, they both understand that. There is no forgetting what they've all seen.

“You want my pickle?” Dean asks holding it out to Ryan who glances to him and shakes her head.

“No, thank you” she answers with a small smile, Dean raises an eyebrow. She knows they're worried, but this isn't about her feelings, it's about Dean's fingers all over the pickle. “Dean, your gross fingers are all over it, I don't want it now” Sam starts laughing as Dean shoots Ryan a playful glare. Ryan places a fry between her lips and smiles seeing the worry slip from them, even if only for a few moments. She listens to them both talking about the stupid pickle, she smiles a little as they argue over it, something so simple and stupid, but so them. She loves moments like this. But then their voices start to wane into the background, fading out, she frowns trying to concentrate on what they are saying. There is a sound that echoes in her head, drowning out everything else. Screaming in her ears. Gunshots. She's heard gunshots before but this is something else. Not a pistol. Something heavier. A rifle maybe. Ricocheting in her ears. She covers her ears and slams her eyes shut, Sam and Dean instantly out of their chairs and at her side, trying to talk to her, but her ears are ringing, the sound echoing through her head. When she comes back, returning to reality, her brothers are loud in her ears, in her head.

“Ryan!” Dean pleads grabbing her face, she cringes slightly and looks to him.

“Don't yell” she complains. “I'm fine” she whispers, Dean doesn't look convinced, Sam either but Sam is better at hiding it, knowing that she hates them fussing over her.

“What was it?” Dean asks brushing her hair back.

“Nothing, I'm fine” she nudges him away going back to her food.

“You can tell us about this stuff” Dean argues. “You should, we can...” she rolls her eyes.

“It's nothing, just an echo of something” she grumbles. “It's because you've brought me to the murder capital of the world” she complains.

“I think that's actually a city in Mexico” Sam counters, she sighs and looks to him. “Not helping” Sam offers himself and goes back to his own food.

“What did you expect?” Ryan asks. “People die every day, all over the country...New York just has more deaths and there are....echoes everywhere, I can feel it, brushing over my skin...”

“I'm sorry” Dean grumbles standing and moving away from her. Ryan frowns.

“What? Why?” she asks looking over her shoulder at him.

“I wanted to come to the city”

“Shut up” she rolls her eyes and scoffs, he shoots her a look. “It's just one city for a few days. I'll get over it” he sighs and looks down a little. Ryan and Sam share a look, she rolls her eyes and then stands moving to Dean. “Dean...” he looks to her. “Look” she sighs and crosses her arms over her chest, to stop herself from fidgeting. “I know I'm not easy to live with” she offers. “And I know you have both had to sacrifice things for me....”

“Rye” he whispers.

“I know you do everything you can to protect me. So I will take a few echoes to give you some time here R and R” he pulls her closer and wraps his arms around her. “Plus I know how much you are dying to catch a glimpse of Black Widow” she teases, he smiles into her hair.

“Like you wouldn't be upset if you saw Captain Tightpants” he teases back nudging her, she chuckles a little and pulls back. “And him over there” Dean motions to Sam. “Getting a nerd boner on for Banner and Stark” Sam shoots him a look as Ryan laughs, clutching to Dean's arm. Sam smiles though watching them.

…..........

Sam closes his laptop and glances over at where Ryan sleeps curled up in her bed. He smiles a little, she always looks so much younger when she sleeps, the angry, tired, pained lines on her face from years of death and blood disappearing leaving the young woman she is. He turns off the lamp at his side and then settles down to sleep, knowing that Dean is doing the same in his own room.

…...........

The motel door catches in the wind throwing it back against the wall waking Sam who shifts slightly and then groans looking to Ryan's bed before he sits up alarmed finding it empty.

“Rye?” he asks looking around the empty room and then to the open motel room door. “Crap” he complains knowing Dean is going to kill him, Sam throws the covers off of his legs and stumbles out of bed to dress. Maybe if he finds her before Dean finds out that Sam's lost their little sister.


	4. Chapter Three

Bucky Barnes had come across the assassin by accident. Just his luck. He goes out for the night, takes a walk to clear his head and bam! Finds an assassin. Only him. Only something like this can happen to him. The assassin had put up a fight, he expected that, what he didn't expect was the redhead that appeared mid-fight. And she seems out of it. He frowns a little and tucks his knife away before he risks approaching her.

“Miss?” he asks, careful. She looks straight at him, or through him. “Are you okay?” he asks her, her eyes seem to linger on nothing in particular, just blank. “Hello?” he asks waving his hand over her face, trying to get her attention. Bucky glances to the assassin who shrugs back at him. Bucky turns back to the girl. She seems to think about something before she lets out a scream, a scream so inhuman, so supernatural it vibrates through him, he cries out and covers his ears curling into himself as the scream seems to echo through the streets.

…............

Dean wakes in his bed hearing Ryan's scream, it takes him less than a second before he is jumping up and dressing.

…...........

The assassin behind Bucky drops the rifle in his hand, having picked up Bucky's that had dropped in the fight, Bucky turns to stare at the assassin, he was about to shoot Bucky, she saved his life. But she continues to scream and this is going to draw attention. Bucky lurches forward and covers her mouth with his flesh hand. He's not trying to hurt her.

“Hey, hey, shhh” he pleads with her. The scream softens against his hand, meaning the assassin can grab Bucky's gun again, Bucky's eyes widen and grabbing the girl he pulls her around out of the alley, covering her as the assassin opens fire, bullets ricochet off the brownstone showering red brick down over them. It's only when the gunfire stops does Bucky realize she's stopped screaming and is breathing, scared against him. He releases her and she scrambles away, turning to face him only when she is more than an arm's length away from him, he then notices her state of dress, shorts, vest, like she came straight from bed. Her eyes are wide as she looks around.

“Ryan!” Dean yells spotting her across the street, he and Sam coming around the corner, she turns, relief flooding her.

“Dean” she whispers as he runs across the street straight for her, she sniffles and lets him hug her, wrapping his arms tight around her knowing how scared she gets with these moments.

“I got you” he assures her rubbing her back, he kisses her head holding her closer to him. She pulls back and looks around for Bucky who's vanished, she clutches to Dean as Sam searches the area for a body, finds none, both the assassin and Bucky have gone.

“What happened?” Sam asks, Ryan turns to bury her head in Dean's chest.

“I stopped it” she mumbles into his chest, Dean notices the bullet scattering in the wall above where she was stood and he pulls back looking over her. “I'm fine” she assures him. “'M fine...” her voice shakes a little as she starts to shiver, the cold now sinking in, Sam shakes off his jacket and drapes it over her shoulders, Dean helps her pull it on, wrapping it around her, pulling the zip up to cover her up. “How far did I get?” she asks them.

“Not far” Dean assures her rubbing her arms, seeing her shivering.

“Let's get you back and warmed up, we can talk about this later,” he tells her sharing a look with Sam who nods.

….........

Sam pulls out one of Dean's hoodie as Dean makes a pot of tea for Ryan who shivers sitting on her bed, her 'brothers' know just how to look after her after an episode. Warmth and comfort.

“Here” Sam pulls at his jacket around Ryan who lets him pull it off of her before handing over Dean's hoodie, Ryan takes it and pulls it on.

“It was him” she whispers, Sam and Dean share a frown before looking to her. “From the tv, he's....with them...he's”

“Alright, sweetheart” Dean stops her as her teeth chatter a little. “Get warm first” she nods and pulls the hoodie closer to her body, Dean carries the tea over and she takes it from him, wrapping her fingers around the mug.

“Thanks” she whispers pulling it closer, Dean grabs a blanket and wraps it around her just to be safe. Sam sits on her right side and Dean takes the left, Dean turning on the tv in front of them.

….......

Bucky huffs out a breath as he sneaks back into the Avenger compound, okay so he snuck out and didn't tell anyone he was going, he just needed some space and none of them understand. He kicks off his boots in his room and walks to the desk where the computer sites before sinking into the chair. He runs his fingers through his hair, his mind on the redhead who'd saved his life, he nods a little and then pulls his keyboard closer.

“Screams” he mumbles typing it in, then wrinkles his nose. “Supersonic screams” he replaces and presses enter. It brings up about 6,660,000 results, he groans and throws his head back. Too many. He sighs and then replaces the search words. “Superhuman screams” he types and then presses enter. “Banshee” he whispers reading the first result, granted the result is for a comic book character but he knows the myths and legends and stuff, the folklore. He deletes the search and searches for banshee instead. He nods. Now he's getting somewhere. He leans forward and starts researching. Because that scream....there was something...not natural about it.


	5. Chapter Four

Dean watches Ryan sleep, on her side all curled up and tucked in. They may be a little overprotective post-scream. She sleeps a lot afterward too and pretty much crashed the second she finished her tea. The motel door opens as Sam returns, brown shopping bag in his arm, he closes the door behind him and sets the bag on the table where Dean sits.

“I got her that soda she likes” Sam states shrugging out of his jacket and setting it down. “She not up yet?” he adds.

“Nah, not a peep” Dean answers.

“Maybe we should postpone the whole...Avengers thing” Sam offers.

“What?” Dean asks. “No way; who knows when we'll next be in New York” he argues.

“We can go” Ryan mumbles from the bed, Sam and Dean look to her as she sits up.

“Rye” Sam starts.

“It's not like I'm going to be running around or anything; it's just a walking tour....” she assures him. “I'll be fine...you can give me a piggyback if it gets too much” she teases, Dean motions to her and looks to Sam.

“Come on, just want a peek at the Widow” Dean teases, Sam and Ryan share an amused look.

“Fine” Sam caves. “But the first sign she's too tired” Dean stands and moves to Ryan, she smirks a little. Dean high fives Ryan and then hugs her pretty much collapsing with her onto the bed, she squeals under him, Sam can't help but laugh. Seeing his brother and as good-as-sister laughing together.

…...........

Dean loves the Avenger's facility; like it's Christmas day. It also helps that the Black Widow is their guest Avenger on the tour, Dean actually almost wet himself when she appeared, amusing to Sam and Ryan on new levels.

….............

Ryan, tired and slowed, wanders alone after the tour group, which Dean is happily standing at the front of listening to the Black Widow talk, Sam lingers at the back for Ryan but round a corner out of her sight, she pauses and glances around the corridor she's in, the walls lined with photos of the Avengers. Ryan brushes her hair over her shoulder as she looks up at the photo of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, he may have changed since this photo was taken but she'd recognize those eyes anywhere. The man she'd saved. The Winter Soldier. A door behind her opens followed by heavy footsteps, they then pause behind her and she turns to look. Bucky Barnes himself stands there, his mouth opens to gape like a fish.

“You!” Bucky states, Ryan's eyes widen. “You” Bucky repeats, she turns and runs away. “Hey!” he takes off after her. “Hey! Hey!!” he yells chasing down this tiny little redhead.

…..........

Ryan barrels into Sam's chest, his arms instantly wrapping around her, his chin resting on the top of her head, worry seeping into him now as he feels her shake, not with cold but with fear, she's actually afraid, he frowns and looks down at her.

“Sam” Ryan whimpers curling into his chest, he looks up as Bucky rounds the corner and slows seeing the size of Sam, okay he may be a super soldier but that dude is taller than him. Bucky moves towards them, one of his Winter Soldier looks on his face, Sam pushes Ryan behind him like that'll stop a world-renowned assassin from getting her. Steve is suddenly there pulling Bucky back from them.

“What are you doing?” Steve asks Bucky pushing him back before turning to Ryan and Sam. “I'm so sorry” Bucky keeps his eyes on Ryan though as she cowers behind Sam, his arm tight around her shoulders. Steve glances to Ryan who's eyes find his, and they're pretty spectacular, those bright green eyes peering back at him.

“Steve” Bucky hisses, Steve looks to him.

“What is it?” Steve asks, Bucky grumbles under his breath and shakes his head.

“Just her” Bucky nods behind Steve before his eyes widen, Steve turns around to find both Sam and Ryan gone. “Dude” Bucky hisses. Steve turns back to him.

“You're attacking members of the public now?” Steve attacks. Bucky sighs.

“I snuck out last night” Bucky admits. “And that girl....she saved my life” he adds. Steve's eyes widen in concern and amazement that that tiny girl saved Bucky; a 6ft plus super soldier with 70 plus years of training under his belt. “I was just taking a walk, minding my own business when I found an assassin”

“You just found an assassin?” Steve asks, Bucky nods.

“Yeah, swear it, and then...this little redhead is there and she...Steve, I swear this happened, she screamed and I thought my head was going to explode....”

“The assassin?” Steve asks.

“He got away....” Bucky admits.

“He saw her face?” Steve asks, Bucky nods. “Then she's in danger....”

“I'm not really that worried” Bucky offers with a shrug. “I think she's an enhanced...or a mutant...or an inhuman...or whatever the hell they're called now”

“That's it?” Steve asks. “You're happy to let her go off....”

“You saw the guy she was with...” Bucky points out. “Are you really worried?”

“Yes, I am, because you've put civilians in the way of an assassin, Buck” Steve scolds and shakes his head. “And all three of those things are different” Bucky pulls a face. “They are...” Steve argues.

“She has powers; that's all I care about” Bucky offers. “Damn near burst my eardrum” he complains, Steve's eyes twitch with mild annoyance. “What?” Bucky asks. “I'm telling you now” he points out, it doesn't help Steve calm down.

…...........

Sam hurries towards Dean who glances to him as he approaches. They need to get out of here and fast. Ryan's stress levels and well-being are now just fantastic (Sarcasm) she's exhausted from her scream and now the whole thing with that Winter Soldier.

“We need to go,” Sam tells Dean who frowns at him.

“What? Why?”

“Ryan just got accosted by the Winter Soldier”

“He did what?!” Dean's voice rises startling a few of the people gathered around them. Dean's eyes look around.

“We need to go” Sam repeats, Dean nods sharply.

“Where is she?” Dean asks, Sam turns around expecting Ryan to be behind him but of course, she's not.

“She was right here” He argues.

“Did you lose her yet again?!” Dean asks, Sam sighs.

“She was literally right behind me” Sam argues as they both start heading back the way Sam went.


	6. Chapter Five

Ryan leans against the Impala as she waits for the brothers to join her, she runs her fingers through her hair and lets out a breath. Bucky has shaken her. Because the Avengers are the last people she wants to expose her abilities to, but last night, finding Barnes wasn't through choice, she'd accidentally exposed her Banshee scream to people that might want to exploit her. But she does understand Barnes' outburst. Old age, experience, bad crap, it all adds up and messes with a guy's head. She hears footsteps approaching her, heavy but sure, Steve Rogers. She looks to him, squinting slightly as the sun blocks her view. Steve notices and shifts his position so she doesn't have to strain her eyes to look at him. He can't help but linger on her eyes, those green things staring back at him, so bright and open. She reaches up and brushes a red curl behind her ear drawing his eye, that hair is something else too, Pepper's is more orange, Natasha's now blonde, but Ryan's hair is more like waves of a setting sun. Yes, it would be simple to call it ginger, or red, but there are so many more layers to it. Maybe it's just his eyes sight, maybe it just the sun behind her now, maybe it's something else. He shakes his head slightly and concentrates on what he came out here for.

“Hey” Steve greets offering her an easy smile, she smiles back, hers more nervous then easy.

“Captain” she greets. “If you're here about Sargent Barnes....” She starts, he shakes his head to stop her.

“I came to apologize” he admits. “He seems to think you're enhanced in some way” Steve offers, she smiles a little.

“Sorry, nothing that excited....not enhanced” she argues and shrugs. “Oh” she suddenly holds out her hand. “Urm...I'm Ryan Winchester” she offers, Steve smiles and takes her hand.

“Steve Rogers” he offers back with warmth. “That should have been the first thing I did” he complains to himself. “I'm so sorry; I don't know what's gotten into Bucky recently....”

“Old age affects us all differently” she teases, he smiles and then laughs a little with a nod, eyes sparkling with amusement as he turns to her. He sees the softness to her gaze.

“You're not mad at him?” He asks her, she shakes her head.

“No” she answers. “I understand a little” she admits. “You go through what he's been through and it's going to affect you in ways other people will never understand,” she tells him. “And in ways he won't be able to explain; because there are no words”

“You're really understanding for someone who was just chased down by a 100-year-old one-armed assassin” he points out, she shrugs a little.

“Bad things happen” she offers. “Good, bad, old, young....man, woman, straight, gay, bi, blind, deaf.....none of it matters to the Universe; it's going to screw you over no matter what” he nods and looks down slightly, she is more than right, and it's a smart way to think about it, because at the end of the day the Universe really doesn't care who you are; if it wants to ruin your life, it's going to ruin it. Sam and Dean leave the facility behind Steve, Dean's eyes widening with worry when they do.

“Ryan” Dean offers moving towards her fast. Steve raises an eyebrow a little.

“Brothers?” Steve asks, she nods.

“As good as anyway” she counters. “I'm fine” she assures Sam and Dean who eye Steve cautiously. “Captain Rogers was just keeping me company”

“I was also apologizing for Bucky” Steve adds. “His behavior was completely unwarranted and I will be having words with him”

“It's fine” Ryan argues. “No harm was done”

“He seemed so convinced that you saved his life” Steve counters. “That you had...abilities; it's not okay for him to chase you down” he argues. “He will be suitably punished”

“Good” Dean counters wrapping an arm around Ryan. “Considering the reports; and no offense, but I'm surprised you let him loose at all” Ryan snaps her head to Dean.

“Dean” she scolds. “Everyone deserves a second chance” she reminds him. Dean glances to her and then nods softly. Steve looks to her softly. Not many understand, many called for Bucky to be arrested, for him to be locked up and the key to be thrown away. But the Avengers, specifically Steve had fought to keep Bucky with them; to put him through therapy, physical and mental. And it was working, until his incident with Ryan today. “If anyone gets that....it's you” she turns to Steve. “Tell Sargent Barnes; no hard feelings, we all have bad days” Steve nods.

“Let's get out of here” Dean offers shooting Ryan a look. She rolls her eyes and looks to Steve who smiles understandingly at her, Dean is playing the overprotective brother role perfectly. Steve pulls a small business card from his jacket, it's the Facility one, each Avenger carries them around just in case something comes up, usually for witnesses or victims.

“Listen....if you need anything” Steve offers holding out the card to Ryan. “Call, if not me then one of the others may be able to help you” She smiles and nods taking the card. “And again; I'm sorry” she shrugs.

“Bad things happen, Captain” she reminds him, he glances to Sam and Dean.

“Gentlemen” Sam nods back, Dean almost full on glares, Steve then walks away back to the facility. Dean gently nudges Ryan and nods to the car. She sighs and climbs in followed by the brothers. Dean glances back to Ryan.

“I didn't tell him anything” she assures him as she gets comfy. “Don't worry”

“We worry for your safety” Dean argues, she nods.

“I know” she adds with a warm smile. “But I'm tired now, can I sleep?” he nods and gives her a wink before starting the car, Ryan curls up against the side door and sighs contently. The Impala is her happy place.


	7. Chapter Six

Dean brushes Ryan's hair back from her face to look over the cut on her forehead, Ezekiel...Gadreel whatever the hell his name is had turned on them, threw Ryan across the bunker library and into a wall, cracking her head. After Gadreel fled Dean dealt with Kevin's body and then packed Ryan a bag and shoved her in the car, driving her all the way back to New York. He can't deal with this and look out for her at the same time, he can't put her in harm's way like this, not for something that is his fault, he let the angel get into Sam. All of this is on him. He brushes his thumb over her face and sighs.

“Ryan” he whispers softly trying to wake her. This last few days have been hard for her. With Kevin's death hitting her hard. A banshee scream that tore its way through her throat with his death, her emotions screaming out with it. It's different when it's someone she knows and cares about. And she and Kevin had been close. “Rye” he touches her shoulder, shaking her a little harder. She groans and reaches up to rub at her eyes. “Hey” he greets, she turns her head to him and then cringes as it rattles a little.

“What?” she asks him. “My head” she complains trying to sit up, Dean grabs her arm and helps.

“Yeah, that's gonna ache for a few days” he points out.

“Where are we?” she asks him resting against his shoulder.

“New York” he answers. “I brought you to the Avenger's Facility” he admits, she frowns at him.

“But...Sam” she points out, he nods.

“I'm going after him” Dean assures her. “I'll find him, but you can't come with me” her eyes shift to hurt. “You already got hurt, Ryan” he lifts a hand to her head. “So until I deal with this....I'm gonna make sure you're safe” he doesn't give her a chance to respond, he climbs out of the car and moves around to the trunk, Ryan stares out the front of the car at the front of the Avenger's facility. Yeah, the last few weeks have been hard, painful, but she is still capable. She takes a breath and slides out the passenger side pushing herself to her feet. Dean grabs her bag from the trunk and closes it again before moving to her side, he touches her arm and then leads her towards the facility.

“What about the whole...banshee thing?” she asks him, he looks to her. “What happens if I have an episode?”

“How many people do you think die in this facility?” he asks her back. “It's so safe, so secure, so protected, you'll probably not have an episode...” she takes a breath and nods. It's loose and weak but he could be right.

…..........

Dean stands waiting for Steve Rogers to join them, Ryan rests her head against Dean's arm, her head pounding. Dean wraps his arm around her and kisses her head.

“You're gonna be okay” he assures her softly. She hums and closes her eyes, Dean glances around, this place is a lot quieter than the last time they were here, a few shield agents mill about, a few suits and Steve, he steps out of a side room and looks around. Dean raises a hand in a salute as Steve looks to him. “Grab a seat” Dean whispers to her as Steve walks towards them. Ryan hums a little and walks away from Dean. He stands up taller and nods a little. “Captain” he greets. “We were here a few weeks ago” Dean offers as Ryan sits down behind them.

“I remember” Steve assures him glancing to Ryan who touches her head and cringes. “Is she okay?” Steve asks, Dean nods.

“Bumped her head but yeah, she's fine....listen” Steve turns back to him. “You said if she needed anything”

“I meant it” Steve adds.

“Good, she needs somewhere safe to stay for a few days, week tops” Steve frowns at Dean. “Our brother, Sam, he's gone....walkabout and I need to find him, I'd rather not leave Ryan at all, but Sam caused the head bump so right now I can't trust him”

“Of course” Steve states. “We can put her in one of the guest rooms; I'm sure the others won't mind” Dean lets out a relaxed breath. “You're very protective of her” Steve comments, remembering their encounter the last time they met.

“She's basically my little sister” Dean admits. “So yeah....protective. Even from my own brother, it seems”

“Does it happen often?” Steve asks.

“No” Dean shakes his head knowing that it would never. “Sam's never hurt her before...” he pauses. “I don't know what came over him” Dean lies smoothly, but Steve's eyebrow twitches showing he may just have caught it. Dean looks around as a thud sounds behind him. Ryan has fallen off her chair, face first. “Ryan!” Dean rushes to her dropping to his knees as Steve follows. He turns her over and brushes her hair back from her face to see she's lost consciousness. “Hey” Dean begs. “Rye” he whispers. Steve places his hand on Dean's shoulder gently pulling him back, Dean watches as Steve easily lifts her up into his arms, letting her head lull into his neck, her breath softly fanning against his skin.

“Come on,” Steve tells Dean as he walks away with her in his arms. Dean grabs her bag and follows after the soldier who strides ahead of him with sure and long strides, Dean actually struggles to keep up with him.


	8. Chapter Seven

Ryan is laying, unconscious on a medical cot in the med lab of the Avengers Facility, Bruce Banner sits on a stool by her head, his fingers in her hair. Dean takes a worried breath as he watches, waits for news whilst Bruce talks to himself.

“Possibly an internal bleed” Bruce offers shifting her head slightly, drawing his fingers around her skull. “Friday” he states. “Run scan...” Dean worries his bottom lip as he watches, his arms crossed over his chest to stop him from fidgeting. Bruce pushes his chair across the floor to the computer as it beeps, Friday's results flashing on the screen. Dean shifts closer. Bruce adjusts his glasses as he reads the results on the screen. “No, no bleed” he assures Dean. “Slight swelling” Bruce reads. “I'll give her something to bring that down, keep an eye on her for a few days”

“But she'll be fine though, right?” Dean asks. “Cause...she has to be fine”

“She'll be good as new” Bruce is quick to tell him. Dean lets out a breath and closes his eyes. Worried and relieved in the same breath.

“You can go, if you need to” Steve speaks up from where he's sat behind Dean, Dean turns to him. “Your brother” he elaborates, Dean nods and looks back at Ryan. “She'll be fine here” Steve stands and moves closer to Dean. “Bruce can keep an eye on her.....and we'll call if something changes” Dean lets out a breath and nods. These are the Avengers, he can trust Ryan to be okay with them. Dean moves to where Ryan rests and sighs a little seeing her seem so vulnerable and defenseless. Dean strokes Ryan's hair before leaning closer to her.

“I'm coming back” he promises her. “I just got to kick some sense into our idiot brother, okay?” he asks softly and pulls away. It's the most he can give away with the audience watching him.

“I'll walk you out” Steve offers and nods to the doors, Dean nods and follows him out, Bruce goes back to his computer, his eyes glancing to Ryan as she sighs slightly.

….......

Steve watches the Impala drive away before turning and heading back inside, just as Bruce is walking towards him, he's frowning down at the tablet in his hand.

“Bruce?” Steve asks, the doctor look up from the tablet in his hand. 

“I came to find you” Bruce admits as they turn to walk together.

“What's wrong?” Steve asks. “Is she okay?”

“She's fine...” Bruce assures him. “But I took a blood sample,” Bruce tells Steve as they walk back towards the medical lab. Bruce hands over the tablet in his hand. “It was flagged when I ran it”

“Flagged why?” Steve asks looking down at the tablet, he stops walking to make sure when he reads it a second time he is sure he's seeing this right.

“Yeah” Bruce states noticing Steve's look.

“Is this right?” Steve counter asks looking to Bruce.

“I ran it five times, it's right” Bruce assures him, Steve lets out a breath.

“Do you think he knows?” he hands the tablet back as Bruce shrugs.

“I don't know, he never said, doesn't mean he doesn't....” Bruce answers, Steve rubs the back of his neck.

“Well, either way, we should tell him” Steve points out, Bruce nods in agreement. “Friday, where's Barton?”

“Currently in the firing range with Agent Romanoff” The AI answers.

“I'll go check on Miss Winchester” Bruce offers, Steve nods.

“I'll go get Clint” He counters and then walks away, Bruce lets out a breath through his nose. Just when they think everything is right in the world, they get thrown a curveball.

…............

Clint moves fast when the med lab doors open, sliding through them when there is just enough space, his eyes land on the redhead on the bed and he lets out a pained noise before moving forward.

“Ryan” Clint whispers moving to her side. He hasn't seen her since she was a child, ashamed to say he doesn't know how old she was, no older then 10 he knows that but he can't be specific.

“You knew?” Steve asks following behind him, Clint nods.

“I knew she was out there” he admits touching her cheek before curling his hand around it. “Before Shield” he starts looking at Steve. “I was...” he clenches his jaw. “I was in the circus” Steve raises an eyebrow. “Moved around a lot.....town to town, city to city. I only got to see them every other year sometimes...Saw her when I could” he whispers sadly, regret dominating his tone. “I urm...was in town and I went to the apartment. I sent money. I wrote. Sent postcards. Called. It had been quiet for a while, I thought they were mad at me because I had to cancel the month before...but” he looks to Steve. “Poppy, her mother, she....she was...they both were....” he looks down at Ryan. “I asked the neighbors and they told me that Poppy was dead” Steve's eyes soften. “That...Ryan was gone. I looked for her but no one would tell me anything” he admits stroking her hair. “I couldn't find her” he snorts. “Time went on...Met Laura...”

“You stopped looking for her” Steve points out, accusation and disapproval lacing his tone.

“No” Clint argues. “No, I never stopped....just....lost hope I guess” he notes Steve's look and he sighs. “Look, Steve, it's been....15 years, what the hell was I supposed to think?” he looks to Ryan and strokes his fingers over her cheek. “What happened to her?”

“Her brother brought her in” Steve answers moving closer. “Head injury”

“Why here?” Clint asks not taking his eyes off of her, he ignores the 'brother' thing, right now he doesn't care, but he will once she wakes up. 

“They were here a few weeks ago on one of the tours, Bucky overreacted a little and maybe chased her down” Clint turns to him. “He got it into his head that she was enhanced”

“Well kind of” Clint offers, Steve frowns at him. “I mean...she's not even human”


	9. Chapter Eight

Steve is still frowning at Clint who's eyes are lingering on Ryan, his fingers in her hair. Steve gapes a little, mouth opening and closing like a fish as he contemplates what Clint has just said. He steps closer now.

“What do you mean 'she's not even human'?” Steve asks Clint, who turns and shoots him a look.

“You know..she's not human” Clint answers, Steve raises an eyebrow at him. “Okay, fine, look her mother....was a banshee” he admits. “And with them, it's not half and half, so Ryan wasn't born half human half banshee.....she was born banshee” he looks to his daughter. “Poppy was supposed to teach her” Clint whispers touching Ryan's arm.

“This is not really explaining anything” Steve mumbles rubbing his head, because he knows how smug Bucky is going to be.

“You have to know the legends of the banshees” Clint points out, Steve shrugs.

“Assume I don't” he counters, Clint rolls his eyes.

“Alright, well...they're harbingers” Clint explains. “They get feelings and visions and dreams of approaching deaths....they're drawn to death, it's....it's a terrible gift really” Steve looks down at Ryan, the implications that she saved Bucky's life in more than one way, that she may have seen his death and she managed to stop it from happening.

“She saved Bucky” Steve admits. “He was in the city and this assassin found him...Bucky said that she screamed...” Clint nods in understanding

“Yeah, it's something else” Clint offers. “I remember the first time I heard Poppy scream” he reaches up and touches the hearing aid behind his ear, Steve softens, realizing.

“You lost your hearing because of it” he whispers, Clint nods lowering his hand.

“It wasn't her fault. But.....yeah, she burst my eardrums” he admits with a shrug. “Bad enough that I'll need aids for the rest of my life but....hey, it was a memorable first date” Steve smiles a little, despite the fact that Poppy hurt Clint, accidentally leaving him deaf for the rest of his life, Clint clearly loved her enough to stay with her, to have a kid with her. Clint really loved Poppy.

“I'm sorry” Steve offers, Clint nods and looks to him.

“Yeah, so am I” he shrugs and sighs. “You mind if I stay?” he asks.

“Yeah, of course, she's your kid” Steve answers. “Bruce'll be in to check on her in a bit, but you should be fine” Clint takes a breath as Steve leaves, glancing over his shoulder to look at the pair as he does.

….............

It's another 23 and a bit hours before Ryan wakes, Bruce sitting at his computer the only one there to greet her back to consciousness. She barely opens her mouth to ask him what's going on when the med-bay doors open. Clint is first in, closely followed by Natasha and Steve. Bruce shoots them all a look, he told them to all to wait a little longer. Ryan glances to them, shrinking back because they're all intimidating alone, let alone together.

“I tried to stop them” Steve offers rubbing the back of his neck. Clint moves straight to the end of the bed, hands clasping the railing. Ryan watches him a moment, and he seeks recognition.

“Do you remember me?” Clint asks. “I know I'm...”

“I remember you” She stops him.

“You do?” Clint asks her looking hopeful, he smiles at her, she nods.

“Yeah” she answers. “I took the tour...your photo was up on the wall of Avengers” His hope vanishes as does his smile.

“Oh” he breaths, shoulders sagging as he lets out a breath. Natasha squeezes his shoulder in comfort, he looks to her and she gives him a sad smile.

“Where's Dean?” she asks looking to Steve, he shakes his head a little and she sighs. “He went after Sam without me” she catches on reaching for her head.

“She needs rest” Bruce scolds and then turns to Ryan. “You hit your head pretty hard....” she shrugs.

“Not that bad” she argues.

“You collapsed” Steve counters stepping closer. “And you've been unconscious for more than 24 hours” she sighs.

“Not the worst thing to ever happen to me” she swings her legs over the edge of the bed.

“Where are you going?” Bruce asks her. “Lay back down” she rolls her eyes but does as she's told.

“This is ridiculous” she grumbles, Bruce snorts and shoots Clint a look, because she is exactly like him when he comes into medical. Clint shrugs back with a smile, because at least she got something from him. “I'm fine” she points out.

“Just humor him” Steve offers. “It goes quicker that way” she looks to him and smirks as Bruce shoots Steve a look moving to check on Ryan's vitals.

“How's your friend?” She asks, Steve nods.

“He's fine” he answers. “Still a little perplexed about what happened” she hums a little ignoring his look, he's trying to trick her out.

“I told you, old age affects us all differently” she teases a little, Clint shoots Steve a look, which he catches.

“Nat, why don't we find some food?” He asks turning to the redhead who shares a look with Clint and then nods turning back to Steve.

“Sure” she answers and then gives Bruce a look.

“I'll join you” Bruce is quick to add. “I haven't eaten since last night” he mumbles joining them as they leave, Clint takes a breath watching Ryan who fiddles with her blanket.

“Do you really not know who I am?” he asks her sadly, her jaw flexes a little and she sighs.

“No, I know” she whispers looking to him. “Hey...Dad” she offers, cringing at how awkward it sounds, he smiles a little though.

“Rye” he breaths with relief moving around the bed.

“But that doesn't mean anything” she argues stopping him dead. “It doesn't matter” his eyes meet hers, she's angry at him, and she has every right to be, he touches the bed and closes his eyes.

“Ryan...” he begs before opening his eyes. “I loved your mother, and I loved you....” she looks away from him. “I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect her....to protect you”

“Too late” she mumbles turning on her side, turning away from him. Shutting herself off from him. Clint looks away and sighs. He knew it wouldn't be all rainbows and kittens but he thought it would be easier than this. He sniffles a little getting upset before he walks away. Leaving her alone. Ryan waits for the door to close before she starts crying.


	10. Chapter Nine

Steve sits next to Ryan's bed as she sleeps. Clint had asked him to keep an eye on her, believing that she would rather it not be Clint right now. Steve doesn't mind, Ryan seems like a nice girl, guarded and mysterious but he can tell she ultimately has a good heart. She's a pretty little thing too. Something classic about her face. She's beautiful really. Her eyes snap open and she instantly notices him staring at her. She screams and pushes herself back, he leans away, blushing, but she pushes too far and falls off the bed, with a squeakier scream this time as she hits the floor. Steve's eyes widen and he hurries around to help her.

“I am so sorry” he rushes out helping her to her feet, she shoots him a look.

“You were watching me sleep” she accuses, he nods and then helps her back onto the bed, he corrects himself by shaking his head.

“I wasn't watching you sleep” he argues rubbing the back of his neck. “I was just....staring at you, okay that sounds worse, but it was more like staring past you...I was thinking” she hums a little pulling her blanket back to her. “Are you alright?” he asks her, she nods.

“Yeah, just...” she shakes her head. “Some creepy dude was just watching me sleep,” she tells him, he shakes his head but smiles moving to take his seat again.

“Okay, okay, fine...” he looks to her as he leans forward on his knees. She plucks at the blanket a little.

“So...do you all know?” she asks. “About Clint?” he nods. “Right”

“None of us are judging you” he assures her. “Him...yeah, but not you, you were just a kid, and at least you have your memories of him, that's something”

“Except that I don't” she admits. “I don't remember him, all I have are photos and letters and postcards”

“It must have been hard” he offers.

“Yeah, dead mom, absent dad....no home, no family....”

“What about Dean?” he asks. “Sam?” she shrugs.

“They were great” she answers and then sighs. “It was October 2000 when my mother...” she pauses and clears her throat. “When she died.....it was three more days before..” Steve's eye widen realizing the implication. “Anyone found me...it was Sam and Dean's dad, John, he...he found me, heard me crying from the street, took pity on me I guess...took me away, raised me....” she shrugs.

“He's been looking for you,” Steve tells her. “All this time, Clint has been looking for you” she looks down. “I know you're a grown woman now and he's missed out on so much, and you've missed out on so much.....but don't throw away something you could still have....” she looks to him. “Take it from someone who waited too long, who lost....”

“You and Bucky are making up for lost time?” she asks him, he nods.

“I know it's not the same for you and Clint” he assures her. “But do you really want to get to a point later on when you wish you could have, and you didn't....”

“Damn, I bet you get the team going each and every time” she teases, he shoots her a look but she's smiling at him, and he almost melts with it. “Thank you” she whispers, he smiles back, a blush working onto his cheeks.

“You're welcome” he looks down and then takes a breath. “I should let you sleep” he offers looking back to her.

“Thanks” she offers. “For letting me stay”

“Dean was very worried about you”

“He always is” she counters rolling her eyes, he touches her arm and then stands.

“Goodnight, Ryan” he whispers warmly, she watches him and then smiles. He leaves her alone, walking out of the room letting the doors close before he sighs and smiles to himself.

…............

Ryan pulls her jacket on as she sneaks through the compound, okay, so she doesn't want to stay here, too many people, and Clint. Her anger at her father has been building and stewing for 15 years and right now all she wants to do is scream at him, and not in the average human way. She heads towards the security desk at the front of the building.

“Where are you going?” she squeaks a little spinning to find Bucky above her in a shadowy alcove, arms leaning on his thighs as he crouches. She stands up straight and shrugs.

“Away” she answers and turns to walk away again. Bucky watches her a moment before jumping down and walking to her, his insane gait allows him to catch up to her in no time.

“Did Banner say you could?” he asks at her side, she glances to him.

“No” she answers.

“Then I think you should go back” he argues. She turns him.

“Why do you care?” she asks him.

“You saved my life” he answers. “I don't like owe people”

“You owe me?” she counters raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, quid pro quo” he offers. She rubs her head a little as something pops in her hearing followed by the sound of shattering glass. “You okay?” he asks her, she nods a little and looks up at him.

“Yeah, just...” she starts but stops. Her eyes glaze over. His eyes widen when he realizes what is about to happen, he's almost not fast enough, but he manages. Bucky slams his hand over her mouth as she starts to scream. He holds her to him, burying her face into his chest to muffle her scream but it still burns through his hearing, he positions them so his back to the window, if something is about to happen it'll be the window, and he can take any hits, she probably can't. The glass breaks behind him and a bullet lodges itself into the wall behind where Ryan had been stood. Bucky's eyes are locked on it. He peers behind him into the darkness and then looks to Ryan who whimpers against his hand, he pulls it back from her face. “Quid pro quo” she mumbles.

“This doesn't count” he assures her. “Stay here” he points to the security desk which for some reason is empty. “I'm gonna have a look” she nods and scurries under the desk, her fingers threading through her hair. Bucky walks away pulling his cell phone from his pocket and dialing. Waits for the other end to pick up before talking. “Steve” Bucky states into this phone.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Steve complains.

“I'm with Ryan, the assassin's here” Bucky can hear that Steve is more awake now. “I left her at the front security desk....”

“Alone?” Steve asks followed by the rustling of clothing.

“Yeah...she'll be fine....but it was empty, Steve...”

“I'm on my way. Friday, wake the others” He then hangs up, Bucky shoves the phone back in his pocket and pushes through the compound doors.


	11. Chapter Ten

Ryan hugs her knees to her chest as she waits, the building is now eerily silent and she hates it. It's creepy and it doesn't help her fear. Not even her fear for herself, but her fear for Bucky who's out there looking for someone running around with a gun. Ryan jumps a little before relaxing seeing Steve, he crouches in front of her and holds out his hand. She reaches up and takes it letting him pulling her up to her feet.

“Are you okay?” he asks her, she nods. “Where's Bucky?”

“I don't know, he went outside” she answers. He walks back into the facility with her. Steve keeps hold of her hand as he pulls her along, he'd rather not leave her alone at an unmanned security desk. He'll scold Bucky for doing just that later as well as talking to Happy about his security team. Steve pulls out his cell phone and dials. She can hear Bucky mumbling on the other side as Steve pushes through the doors into a hallway.

“I've got her” Steve answers something Bucky's asks. “Did you find them?” Steve asks as they approach Clint and Natasha. Ryan tugs her hand free of Steve and shakes her head.

“No” she mumbles turning to walk away, Steve grabs her wrist to stop her, she whines a little.

“Just a sec, Buck” Steve states and then pulls the phone away to turn his attention to Ryan.

“I'll take my chances alone,” she tells him, Clint steps closer and Steve shakes his head at the archer.

“Look,” Steve tells Ryan. “Whatever is going on with you and him, personally....doesn't matter, right now there is an assassin running around....” she sighs. “So....suck it up and let him look after you until this is over....and when it is, we'll talk about why you and Bucky were in the lobby at 3 am” she sighs and nods. “Stay with them” he motions to Clint and Natasha. “Promise me, Ryan,” he asks of her, giving her a look.

“Promise,” she tells him crossing her fingers over her chest.

“Good, cause I told your brother I'd look after you, and I plan on making sure you get back to him in one piece” he then nods to Clint and Natasha.

“I'm going” she whispers and then walks towards her father who smiles and waves at her, she clenches her jaw a little, Clint deflates and looks to Natasha. He hates that his daughter hates him. Clint also notes the bag in Ryan's hand and the fact she's dressed for outside. She was fleeing. She was running away from him.

“Do you fancy some hot chocolate?” Natasha asks Ryan who shrugs a little. “I know where Wanda hides the good stuff” Natasha offers, Ryan sighs and follows after the both of them as they walk away.

…...............

Clint sets a mug down in front of Ryan as she picks at the doughnut on her plate, she glances up at him, Clint's eyes meet hers and he smiles a little, she turns away from him setting the plate aside, not really all that hungry. Clint grabs a photo album from the table and runs his hand over the top taking a breath. Turning to Ryan he pushes all his nerves aside.

“Here” he whispers holding it out to her, Ryan wipes her fingers on her jeans before taking the photo album from him. She touches the cover before opening it. On the first page is a photo of Clint and Poppy together, happy, smiling, young. Clint watches Ryan's face. “I didn't know if you had any photos” he mumbles as she turns the pages. Scan photos. Photos of Poppy as she grew in size. Photos of baby Ryan with both her parents. Ryan through her early years with Clint, and with her mother. They seem to get few and far between, huge jumps in her age towards the end, he's absent in a lot of them. She looks at Clint. “I looked for you, you know” he admits. “For years and years, I never stopped looking” he rubs at his cheek. “You are my daughter and I didn't know where you were, or even if....” he stops and looks away. “No one could tell me what happened” he whispers plucking on the band around his wrist. “No one could tell me where you went” he raises a soft eyebrow. “What did happen? Where did you go?”

“John found me” She whispers, he looks to her. “He heard me crying and he found....” she clears her throat. “He took me in, raised me, I gained two brothers...Sam and Dean....”

“You were okay with them?” he asks her. “Happy?” she nods. “And the banshee stuff?”

“I don't want to talk about it” she mumbles picking up her mug.

“Okay” he whispers with a sigh, he leans back in his seat. She keeps her eyes on the photo album as she drinks the hot chocolate. The doors open and Natasha and Clint are instantly on their feet weapons ready, but both relax seeing Bucky entering, he quirks an amused eyebrow and then sees Ryan sat there.

“I couldn't find them” Bucky admits moving to Ryan. “Are you okay?” he asks her, she nods.

“I'm fine...” she assures him, Steve follows behind Bucky, he glances to Ryan watching her as Bucky fusses slightly. Natasha raises an eyebrow at her boyfriend who straightens up and tries to act casual. It's nothing romantic or sexual in the way he sees Ryan, it's more like a little sister, perhaps his drawn to the damaged part of her, the lost little girl. Natasha's seen him do this before, with some of the younger recruits, with Wanda. He feels a sense of brotherly loyalty to them. Clint glares at Bucky.

“What do you mean you couldn't find them?” Clint asks, Bucky is taken back by the tone, Clint's never spoken to him like that before. Steve shoots Clint a look.

“Dude, what the hell?” Bucky asks. Steve leans closer to Bucky and whispers in his ear.

“He's her dad” Steve admits, Bucky pulls back and looks between Ryan and Clint.

“Oh” he breaths, Clint's anger more understandable now. “Look, they ran off into the woods, I found some quad tracks, they were well gone by the time I got there....they're fast whoever they are” he and Steve share a look, Bucky thinks there is more going on here, more than a simple assassin.

“So” Steve states turning back to the room, his attention on Ryan. “Now that everything is calm again” Steve starts moving to stand in front of Ryan. “What were you doing at 3 am in the lobby?” Ryan looks down and pulls her sleeve down her wrist nervously. She looks to Bucky and then away again.

“I couldn't sleep” Bucky offers, Steve looks to him. “I went to the medbay and saw that Ryan was awake too, we were taking a walk” Steve raises an eyebrow then turns to Ryan.

“Is that right?” he asks her, she nods.

“Yep” she answers, Steve's eyebrow quirks showing his disbelief at the answers they've given, but he'll let it pass for now.

“Alright” Steve starts. “How about we all go back to bed and try and figure this out tomorrow?” he asks. “Ryan” he turns to her. “Back to medical” he orders of her, she huffs and sighs but relents. She'll try and call Dean in the morning, get him to come and get her. She doesn't want to stay here.


	12. Chapter Eleven

Ryan is awake when Steve walks into the medical bay, awake and looking exhausted but at least she is still here. He was a little worried she'd have disappeared in the night. Which is what he feels was going on last night with Bucky and not the walk that Bucky offered. Steve carries a tray towards the bed as she turns to him.

“Morning” he greets.

“Morning” she counters pulling her knees up to her chest, her eyes tracking him.

“I brought you something to eat” Steve offers setting the tray of food on the bedside trolley, Ryan offers a small smile and nods.

“Thanks,” she whispers pulling on her sleeves.

“Soo” he starts sitting next to her. “You and Bucky took a walk” she chuckles weakly and shrugs.

“I urm” she then sighs. “I wanted to leave” she admits looking to him. “Bucky was trying to get me to stay”

“Yeah” Steve nods. “That's...” he smiles softly at her, understanding. “That's what I assumed....” he leans forward. “It was Barton, wasn't it?” he asks. “That's the push...” she nods.

“I didn't think he'd find out I was here” she whispers. “Didn't think he'd... realize I was who I was to him....”

“That might have been my fault” Steve admits, she frowns at him. “It's protocol to run a blood test on any unknown, and you were injured, we wanted to make sure that we weren't adding painkillers to you if you'd already taken some, or medication, or....”

“Drugs?” she asks, he nods a little.

“The blood test flagged up the genetic match, and I told him you were here” she takes a breath. “Why is it so bad for him to know you are alive and well, relatively anyway?” Steve asks her.

“I don't know” she answers. “Still angry, I guess.....Years and years of....believing that he would find me” she adds. “Then years of resenting him for not, for not saving her, for not...coming for me....” she clears her throat. “I know he looked, he told me...I just...I guess it's not his fault, John was all about staying under the radar of law enforcement. Fake names. Moving from town to town”

“Because there is nothing suspicious about that” Steve points out.

“John did his best” she snaps a little, Steve leans back. How dare he, he doesn't know John, he doesn't know the circumstances, how dare he judge John for how they were raised.

“I wasn't saying he didn't” he assures her. “I don't know what was going on”

“He was a good man, and a...” she sighs. “He wasn't the best father, but...I don't know. I'm alive so that's all that matters”

“What happened?” she frowns at him. “You said John was a good man.....”

“He died” she answers. “2005”

“How old were you then?”

“Urm...12” she answers with a shrug. “It was a car accident” she looks to him.

“You lost three-parent figures in 5 years” he whispers, she gives him a sad smile.

“People die” she points out. “I know that better than anyone...”

“As a banshee?” he asks, she nods. “What's it like?” she takes a deep breath playing with her blanket.

“Like I'm on edge all the time” she whispers. “Waiting for something to trigger.....I see things, things that aren't there” she looks to him. “The first time I had a 'feeling' about Bucky, I saw a star......it was a parking lot and you know the white paint that marks the spaces...” he nods. “The number that was supposed to be there....it looked like a star....it's so real what I see...and it's terrifying not knowing what's real and what's not _**all**_ the time....” he touches her arm, curling his fingers around it comforting her. “Some times it is sounds....voices or...echoes....and dreams, nightmares mostly....they all lead to what my brothers call it my banshee daze” she offers. “I just go blank.....as if I was sleepwalking.....I never know where I am going, or when, it's just a constant state of fear and paranoia and distress” she sniffles. Steve stands from his seat as she starts to cry, turning away from him because she knows she is an ugly crier and she does not want to cry in front of Captain America. He sits on the edge of her bed and pulls her closer, she curls into him, letting him hug her.

“You don't talk about this very much, do you?” he asks her quietly.

“I don't want to worry them” she admits pulling back from him, Steve takes his seat again. “When John died, Sam and Dean did their best to look after me, to protect me.....to keep me safe, and they've done a hell of a job.....especially when all the banshee stuff started, do you have any idea how terrifying that is?” Steve watches her sadly. “To be 15 years old and to dream about people dying, to be 15 years old and wandering onto crime scenes with no idea how I got there.....to wake up screaming night after night....to not understand what was happening to me.....there was no one there to explain it to me” she looks down upset, she clenches her fist against her knee. “No one” she whispers. “I don't know why I'm so upset” she offers and shakes her head. “Just want to go home” she rubs at her eyes and sighs. The medical bay doors open and Bucky steps in pulling on a hoodie, he pauses seeing Steve there already.

“Oh, hey, Steve” Bucky greets, Steve raises an eyebrow at his friend's presence here.

“Come to stop another breakout?” Steve teases, Bucky opens his mouth, then closes it again looking to Ryan.

“Really?” he asks her amused. “You caved already, doll?” she smirks and shrugs.

“I don't do well with lying” she admits. “And dude, it's Captain America, who in the hell willingly lies to him?” Steve chuckles and pats her knee before standing.

“Eat, rest, I'll give your brother a call and let him know you're awake” she smiles in thanks at him. Steve turns to Bucky. “Keep her within the confines of the compound....just in case our....assassin friend returns”

“You really think he's after her?” Bucky asks.

“She saw his face, right?”

“Urm...I guess” Bucky offers. “But so did I”

“As long as she's alive, she'll see any attack on you coming....taking her out”

“Means they get a clear shot at getting to me” Bucky finishes clocking on. “Makes sense....I'll look after her” he assures Steve who glances to Ryan worried before leaving. Bucky moves to take Steve's seat and smiles at her, Ryan raises an eyebrow.

“Two super soldiers in one morning, boy, doesn't that make a girl feel special” she teases, Bucky smirks and then bursts into laughter, she chuckles along with him.


End file.
